Adeoye said the visit was to assess the security deployment in Onitsha and get a first-hand insight into how commercial activities have returned to the area on Mondays to encourage residents to begin their normal activities.
The Indigenous People of Biafra had, in 2021, declared Monday sit-at-home across the South-East to protest the rendition and continuous detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since 2021.
Although the IPOB group had on several occasions announced the suspension of the exercise, the people have continued to observe it due to fear of attacks by hoodlums who always force people to comply.
On Mondays, banks, markets, motor parks, schools, law courts, petrol filling stations, and other public places always remain shut, and roads are deserted.
During the visit, the CP also met and interacted with Shuttle drivers plying the ever-busy Upper Iweka Road in Onitsha and assured them of adequate security as they continued to go about their normal activities.
He said, “We are here in Onitsha to assess the security deployment in the area and also interact with shuttle bus drivers plying Upper Iweka Road to assess the return of commercial activities in the area on Monday. Drivers are critical stakeholders in the engagement.
“We are pleased to announce the lifting of curfew in Nnewi, Onitsha, and Ogbaru by the state government, and we urge the residents to be law-abiding, vigilant, and promptly report acts of crime to the nearest police station or call the Command Control room on 07039194332 or the PRO on 08039334002 for any security-related matter for a prompt response.
“In doing this, it shows the act of patriotism to the nation and in return your safety is our responsibility.”
Although commercial activities had remained scanty in major cities across the state on Mondays, the drivers assured of a gradual return to normalcy in the nearest future, while describing Onitsha, with its large number of markets as a place to start the campaign to end the Monday sit-at-home.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence had three weeks ago, also embarked on a massive deployment of personnel across public facilities to combat the Monday sit-at-home in the state.
